Michelle Martinelli, iEG contributor
Chances are most of us aren’t surrounded solely by others who share our lifestyles and eating habits.
I can only think of one friend who shares my meatless existence. While I’m not one to force my personal choices onto others, it doesn’t stop me from encouraging my carnivorous loved ones to make better choices for themselves.
The World Health Organization (WHO) — an agency of the United Nations focused on international health — recently delivered a strong argument supporting a meat-free lifestyle. After evaluating the carcinogenicity of red and processed meat consumption, experts in WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer determined that for each 50-gram portion of processed meat eaten daily, a person’s risk of colorectal cancer jumps by 18 percent.
The group defines processed meat as something that has been altered by salting, curing, fermenting and smoking, among others, and described it as carcinogenic to humans. These types of meat include some of the most popular — bacon, sausage, salami and corned beef — likely to be ingested often by our meat-eating loved ones.
There are plenty of vegan alternatives to people’s favorite meats.
I’m a big fan of Tofurky Italian Sausage- when cooked with green and red peppers, onions and olive oil, they’re delicious. Even my poultry and fish-eating father has found a taste for the brand’s chick’n and apple sausage, as well as the beer brats.
For lunch meat alternatives, my favorites include Smart Deli’s roast turkey and salami. I wouldn’t recommend eating either of them plain, but with the right addition of vegetables and condiments, it’s easy to make a sandwich that doesn’t increase your likelihood of cancer.
And if you’re worried about eating too much soy-based protein, rest assured, both the American Cancer Society and the American Institute for Cancer Research have declared there is no link between soy products and bodily harm and cite them as healthy alternatives to red and processed meats.
This is Michelle’s first post, say hi!